Coronavirus Danbury: Hospital Sets Up Mobile Test Site, Hotline

DANBURY, CT — The hospital has activated a mobile test site and hotline to provide remote screenings and information regarding the new coronavirus.

Danbury Hospital, and all Nuvance Health hospitals, have also adopted a "no visitor" policy, effective immediately.

Nuvance Health's COVID-19 drive-through collection site located at 95 Locust Avenue, at the corner of Osborne Street and Locust Avenue, is now available only for people suspected of having the virus.

Criteria for collection are:

• You called your doctor's office and had a consultation.
• Based on your symptoms and other information you provided, your doctor determined that you meet criteria for COVID-19 testing, and ordered a test for you.
• You have a scheduled appointment at the collection site.

You will be scheduled within one business day of when the test was ordered by your doctor. People without an appointment will only be seen if they have a valid doctor order for a test.

When delivering your sample at the test site:

• Only two passengers per vehicle are permitted at the collection site.
• Make sure you have a government-issued photo ID (examples: driver’s license, passport) and an insurance card (if you have one).
• You will be given an "Access Pass" after your ID and doctor order are verified. No specimen collection will be done without this pass.
• It's important for you to stay in your vehicle. You will be asked to hold up your ID and insurance card for a photograph.
• A trained healthcare provider will use a swab to collect a sample from inside your nose. (It's not a blood test.)

Those who have been tested should plan to self-quarantine for up to 14 days, officials said. It may take up to six days to get your test results back. If you have worsening symptoms such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, go to the nearest emergency department. Call the emergency department to tell them you are on your way, and that you have been tested for COVID-19 and are waiting for the results.

Nuvance Health established a Nuvance Health COVID-19 Community Hotline over the weekend.

"Nuvance Health established a COVID-19 Community Hotline primarily to help the worried-well navigate through this extraordinary time," Nuvance spokeswoman Amy Forni told Patch. "Nuvance Health medical staff will answer their questions and address their concerns. They will also provide remote screenings if the person who calls thinks they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which include cough, fever, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, and travel and possible exposure history."

If you meet the clinical criteria for possible infection with COVID-19, the medical staff will help you with next steps. The phone number is 888-667-9262. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days a week.

Because of the collection site, effective Monday, Locust Avenue will be closed at the intersections of Hospital Avenue and Osborne Street. Patient access to the Stroock Building at Danbury Hospital will be limited to a single, controlled access point at the intersection of Hospital Avenue and Locust Avenue. Patients will not be able to access the Stroock Building for medical appointments at Hospital Avenue and Osborne Street. Employees should also avoid the immediate area and enter the Gold and Red parking garages from the Danbury Hospital Medical Arts Center entrance on Osborne Street. The detours and road closure will be in effect between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Forni said that the hospital worked with Danbury Police Department to plan for the road closure. "We communicated the road closure and access point information to people coming to the collection site, Danbury Hospital employees, and our patients, especially those who have medical appointments at the Stroock Building."

Nuvance Health hospitals include Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Sharon Hospital in Connecticut; Northern Dutchess Hospital, Putnam Hospital, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York.